Southside, the gay village in Birmingham, England, is now home to a life-size Rhinestone Rhino sculpture, which stands atop a roof at Hurst and Bromsgrove Streets. Unveiled just before Birmingham Pride this weekend, the £15,000 public-art display is actually fiberglass covered with smashed mirror bits and dozens of fake diamonds. “We’re immensely proud of it and feel like proud parents but know that it now belongs to the community,” said artist Emma Butler. [Birmingham Mail]
Beating out places like Salt Lake City (#2) Orlando (#4) and Dallas (#6), Anchorage, Alaska, was named the worst dressed city in America in a recent survey listing the Top 10 offenders.”It’s not uncommon to see oversized parkas with fur-lined hoods and 
bunny boots, and people aren’t alarmed when a person wearing a ski mask enters a room,” said one commenter. [Atlanta Business Chronicle]
A school board in Erie, IL, has banned Todd Parr’s The Family Book—which explores different types of family structures—because it mentions some clans have two moms or two dads. “Parents voiced a concern that those are issues that shouldn’t be taught at the elementary-school level, not that those aren’t discussed at other grade levels,” said Erie School District Superintendent Bradley Cox. [Joe.My.God]
For the first time, members of the LGBT community will be allowed to march in New York’s annual Israel Day Parade, being held on Sunday. The parade, believed to be the largest Jewish event in the world, had previously excluded explicitly gay groups from marching but now a large contingent is expected, including members of the queer-inclusive synagogue Congregation Beit Simchat Torah. [CBST]
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Hyhybt
Avoiding frostbite never goes out of style.
Ryan Schwartz
The book ban was in Erie, IL not Erie, PA.
1equalityUSA
As shiny as this sculpture is, I’d rather have it at SF General Hospital instead of paying Tom Otterness $700.000.00 to have his work anywhere near S.F. He’s the artist that got a black and white puppy from the animal shelter, tied it to a fence, shot it with a gun, and filmed it dying a slow, horrible, painful death, so that he could film it for an art project. The film played in a loop. This puppy was likely so happy to be adopted and taken out of the cage, only to be used for this sick, cruel man’s art. Now, the S.F. Arts Commission is giving this ass nearly one million dollars to have his art in the City named after the Patron Saint of animals, St. Francis of Assisi. At least the artist of this work, Emma Butler, doesn’t torture dogs. Our subways refused to have the work of Tom Otterness so they saddled S.F. General Hospital with this creep’s stuff. He has since apologized for torturing a puppy, but if he were really sorry, he would return the money to us and go quietly away, back to New Jersey, not far enough for me. I’d take a shiny rhinoceros any day. I wish PETA would follow this Tom Otterness where ever he goes and make sure that his story is known to art commissions everywhere. I’d rather see children’s work up than his, or no work at all.
What the f**k
Surely to be an artist,in the real sense,the work you create should be original ,or at the least ,of a perspective personal to you.Do we now live in a world where you can rip off an established artist ,Andrew Logan-who’s been doing this kind of work for many decades -his winged Pegasus work for example-do it in a sub standard way and claim it’s your Art,not an homage.And then do it whilst he’s still alive and in his own”community”.Seems a bit ripe to me,a bit of a cheek.Andrew also created the alternative miss world in London in 1972 which paved the way for new romantics a decade later and in turn London club kids of late 80’s whose lineage moves to new York club kids of the 90’s.Unbelievable!
What the f**k
That’s shocking…..can you get away with that ,in the name of Art ,in America??And why isn’t PETA on him like a rash?
Brandon
1equality-That’s fucked up! That “artist” sounds like a psychopath!
The Rhino looks like a giant disco ball but it’s not original and £15,000 is way too much for an outdoor sculpture.
1equalityUSA
Brabdon, Take the time to Google, “Tom Otterness” and read some of the articles on line. I can’t believe his work is going to be in San Francisco and that the S.F Arts commission is paying him for it! If this artist was really remorseful for his past cruelty, he would give the money back to S.F. and leave with his tail between his legs back to Brooklyn. I would prefer to have the public, that is served by this hospital, do the artwork. It would be worth it to lose the money and forego having this bastard’s work in such a prominent place. I’d rather have nothing than to have the work of this dog murderer anywhere near the City named after the St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Life is so baffling to me. The irony of this is immense.
w.e.
it would be so cool to see that rhino explode into a thousand shards of glass.
inlay
I quite like reading an article that will make people think.
Also, many thanks for permitting me to comment!